Mike McCarthy’s head coaching future in the NFL just took a major hit, and according to one analyst, it may be over for good. With the New Orleans Saints being the last team yet to fill their head coaching vacancy, McCarthy was still technically in the mix.
After removing himself from consideration, former NFL scout and analyst John Middlekauff believes the writing is on the wall.
John Middlekauff Declares End of Mike McCarthy’s Coaching Career
“I saw a headline last night that Mike McCarthy had removed himself from the Saints, AKA he knew he wasn’t going to get the job and said, ‘I’m going to sit this year out.’ Once perception becomes your reality, it’s really hard to shake that,” Middlekauff said on the “3 & Out” podcast.
“You look at Mike McCarthy; he’s pretty good at offense. He understands how to coach the quarterbacks. He has got this situation around him now that will be very hard to shake. If I was a betting man, I don’t think he’s ever going to be a head coach in the NFL ever again,” Middlekauff declared.
.@johnmiddlekauff says Mike McCarthy’s NFL head coaching days are officially over pic.twitter.com/VbWbHSxZrE
— 3&OUT with John Middlekauff (@3andout_pod) January 30, 2025
McCarthy, a Super Bowl-winning coach with the Green Bay Packers, led the Dallas Cowboys from 2020-2024, posting a 49-35 record. While he consistently delivered winning regular seasons, his tenure with Jerry Jones’ team will be remembered for playoff disappointments.
The Cowboys flamed out early in multiple postseasons, including back-to-back embarrassing home losses to San Francisco and Green Bay. A lack of discipline plagued his teams, with Dallas leading the league in penalties over his five-year tenure. Defensive inefficiencies, particularly in the red zone, also contributed to his downfall.
The reality of McCarthy’s situation is dire — no head coaching jobs are left, and his options are limited. NFL analyst Brian Baldinger weighed in on what comes next in an interview with Sportskeeda, suggesting McCarthy could take 2025 off rather than settling for an offensive coordinator role.
“What do you think, just being an offensive coordinator or take the year off? I think he’d probably take the year off,” Baldinger said. If McCarthy does sit out the season, it would be his second hiatus from the league, the first coming after his firing from Green Bay in 2018.
Despite a career .608 winning percentage and 12 playoff appearances in 18 seasons, the perception surrounding McCarthy appears to have shifted. Middlekauff compared his situation to that of Bill Belichick, highlighting that once a negative perception sets in, it’s tough to overcome.
McCarthy has long been respected for his offensive acumen, but there is a growing belief that his best days as a head coach are behind him. With the NFL’s hiring cycle nearly complete, McCarthy’s absence from the sidelines in 2025 seems inevitable.
The real question now after Middlekauff’s take: Is this just a temporary pause, or has the curtain officially closed on McCarthy’s time as an NFL head coach?